Richard Ledford
Agriscience Department
Department Phone 476-0636
Room H-9
rledford@bradleyschools.org

• University of Tennessee-Knoxville ,1978, Masters Science+45 (Post-graduate administration & supervision)
• University of Tennessee, 1974, Bachelors Degree
• Bradley High School graduate, 1969

Educational Employment

• Bradley Central High, 1978 to Present

Certified to Teach

•  Agricsience
•  Chemistry
•  Biology

Courses Taught

• Agriscience
• Agricultural Mechanics
• Agricultural Power & Equipment
• Forestry
• Leadership Development
• Nursery/Landscape Management
• Wildlife Management

Student Group Sponsor

• FFA – the Bradley FFA Chapter has received a record of 39 consecutive National Gold Chapter Emblem ratings (1968-2007). There are 7,252 FFA chapters in U.S.  

Interests

• Agriculture
• Financial Planning
• Heavy Equipment

Hobbies

• Gardening
• Landscaping
• Grandchildren

Civic Activities

• Jackson Exchange Club
• Lowndes County Young Farmer Advisor
• Bradley Farmers Cooperative
• Bradley County Farm Bureau
• Chattanooga Ag Credit Association
• Bradley County Agri-Center Task Force Consultant
• Cleveland/Bradley County Nature Center Development Steering Committee Member
• Adult Leader – Girl Scouts of America
• Blue Springs Ruritan Club – served as Director, Vice President, President
• Cleveland Keep America Beautiful – served on Board of Directors
• Bradley County Agricultural Hall of Fame Trustee – serves as Treasurer (17 years

Professional Memberships

• Georgia Education Association
• Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
• Georgia Vocational Association
• National Education Association (33 year member)
• National Association of Agricultural Educators (33 year member)
• National Career-Technical Education Association (33 year member)
• Bradley County Education Association
• Tennessee Education Association
• Tennessee Career-Technical Education Association
• Tennessee Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association
• Tennessee Nurserymen’s Association
• Bradley FFA Alumni Chapter
• National FFA Alumni Association – Life Member
• National Association of Security Dealers - Registered Representative

Interests

• Agriculture
• Finances
• Heavy Equipment

Hobbies

• Gardening
• Landscaping
• Grandchildren

Awards & Recognition

• President – Tennessee Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association (TVATA), 1998-99. TVATA received the Legion of Merit Award this year.

• East Tennessee Vice President – TVATA, 1995-1998
• TVATA District Director, 1983,1984,1985
• TVATA “Teacher of Teachers Award”, Bronze Emblem, 1984
• TVATA “Teacher of Teachers Award”, Silver Emblem, Silver 2005
• TVATA “Teacher of Teachers Award”, Gold Emblem, 2006
• Honorary American Farmer Degree (FFA), 1985
• Honorary Georgia Planter Degree (FFA), 1976
• Honorary Tennessee State FFA Degree, 1983
• Honorary FFA Chapter Degree, 1978, Lowndes FFA, Valdosta, Georgia
• Honorary FFA Chapter Degree, 1979, Bradley FFA, Cleveland, Tennessee
• Member – Tennessee FFA Board of Directors, 1983-1984
• Cherokee FFA District Advisor, 1980-1981
• Meritorious Service Award – Bradley County 4-H Clubs, 1989
• Technical Reviewer-Delmar Publishers
• Introduction To Horticulture (5^th Edition) 1996
• Bradley County Education Association (BCEA) - Building Level Teacher of the Year (1986)
• BCEA Political Action Committee Chairman (1987-1993)
• BCEA High School Representative (1986-1994)
• BCEA Executive Steering Committee (1993-1997)
• BCEA Professional Negotiating Team Member (1996-1998)
• Tennessee Education Association (TEA) Representative Assembly Delegate (1997-2002)
• TEA State Resolutions Committee (2000,2001)
• TEA Vocational Education Committee (1994,1995)
• National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) – Region V Member Services Committee (1996)
• NAAE Region V Legislative Affairs Committee (1997,1998)

 Instructional Awards

• Tennessee Model Program for Sex Equity (1979)
• Co-authored the curriculum guidelines for the Agriscience 1A course that was later adopted by the Tennessee State School Board.
• Tennessee Vocational Association Outstanding Achievement Award (1982)
• U.S. Department of Education – Certificate of Achievement (1982)
• U.S. Dept. of Education – “The Secretary’s Award for Outstanding Vocational Programs” – Region IV (1983)
• 1995 Innovative Technology Program Grant Recipient – Tennessee State Department of Education Grant of $100,000 to incorporate state of the art technology into the BCHS Agriscience Program.
• Bradley FFA – 1 of 17 FFA chapters in the U.S. selected as a finalist in the “Model of Innovation” Award Program. (1996)
•  Bradley FFA – 1 of 25 FFA chapters in the U.S. selected as a finalist in the “Model of Innovation” Award Program. (1997)
• Bradley FFA – Selected as the National Winner in Chapter Development in the “Model of Innovation” Award program. (1997)
• Bradley FFA – 1 of 30 FFA chapters in the U.S. selected as a finalist in the “Model of Innovation” Award Program.

Last Updated on August 28, 2007 12:06 PM